muller



(NOMOdGI- T. H. MULLER. Centrifugal Machine.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 240.325. Pate nted April 19.1881.

wia KW- -PETER9, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, n C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TEILE H. MULLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH COLWELL,

OF SAME PLACE, AND SAMUEL S HEPWORTH, OF YONKERS, N. Y.

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,325, dated April 19, 1881.

Application filed March 29, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TEILE H. MULLER, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Machines; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby aperson skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being had to to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Likelettersin the figures indicate the same parts.

Myinvention relates to centrifugal machines, such as are commonly used for the draining of sugar and other substances from which it is desired to separate the contained liquid.

The object of my invention is to provide a better valve for discharging the drained sugar through the bottom of the basket and a better method of operating the same than has heretofore been used, and also to provide a better and more elastic bearing for the spindle upon which the basket revolves than has heretofore been known.

In the accompanying drawings on two sheets, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the middle of the basket ofa centrifugal machine embodying my 0 improvements. The section of the bearing below the basket is taken upon the line a b of Fig. 4, the better to show the several parts. Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom of the basket, looking downward from the line 0 d of Fig. l. 3 5 In this figure the valves are shown closed. Fig. 3 is a view of the bottom of the basket looking upward. In this figure the valves are shown open. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the elastic bearing upon the line cf of Fig. l. 4.0 A is the basket. It is of the usual construction, except as to the bottom and valves, and has its cylindrical circumference perforated to allow of the escape of the sirup from the crystals of sugar when it is charged and revolved. It is fixed to the spindle B, with which it revolves in suitable bearings below the basket.

B is the spindle. It revolves in two bearings, one of which is situated just below the basket, and is shown in the drawings, the other being some distance below and of the usual construction. The lower bearing is commonly placed in a ball-and-socket joint or some other contrivance to give'it flexibility, so that it can accommodate itself to the movements of the elastic bearing above. A

O is the curb or case within which the basket revolves. At the bottom it forms the trough D, in which the sirup is collected, and discharged through the pipe E.

G G are the valve-openings in the bottom of .60 the basket. In my improved construction they are situated immediately inside of the cylindrical surface of the basket and directly over the annular space H, through which the sugar is discharged to a proper receptacle below.

J J are the valves, which turn upon pins J, passing through hearings in the bottom A of the basket. n

K K are geared quadrants keyed upon the pins J on the upper sideof the bottom A. These quadrants serve to operate the valves by turning the pins, which are preferably cast in one piece with the valve of brass or bronze.

L is a sleeve fitting and turning upon the upper part of the spindle B, which projects upward into the basket. The bottom of this sleeve is formed into a pinion, M, which gears into the quadrants K, so that the turning of the sleeve operates the valves simultaneously. There are four of these quadrants and valves shown in the drawings, but any convenient number may be used.

N is a hand-wheel fixe'd to the top of the sleeve L, for the purpose of turning it to open and close the valves. The valves and quadrants are so arranged that they are opened by checking the hand-wheel while the basket is revolving, and closed by moving it in the opposite direction.

O is a casing, which protects the gearing from the material placedin the basket. It is joined to the bottom A and extends upward to just below the hand-wheel N, surrounding andfitting the sleeve L.

P is aring. (Shown in the drawings as bolted 5 to the bottom of the basket by the bolts B.) This ring may be made in one solid piece with the bottom of the basket, if desired, or it may be separated from it by thimbles of a suitable" thickness placed upon the bolts It, so a s'to 10o leave aspace between them for the purpose of preventing any accumulations of dirt or sugar from interfering with the operation of the valves. This ring 1? is for the purpose of supporting the outer edge of the valves when closed. When open the valve turns clear from the groove above the ring, and when closed shuts into the groove, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower side of the valve can be beveled, if desired, so as to close it up tight against the bottom of the basket.

Sis the box, in which is formed the bearin g of the spindle B, is hollow, and serves as an oilreceptacle to contain the oil which flows down through the hearings, to oil them in the usual manner. This box rests upon a shoulder or collar, T, upon the spindle. The outer surface of the box is formed into a series of seallops or curved indentations to hold the rubber. springs U, which surround it, as shown in section in Fig. 4. These rubber springs are of a cylindrical form, and are preferably made hollow to give them greater elasticity.

V is a scalloped ring with interior curved recesses for the outer side of the rubbcrsprin gs.

W is a plate resting upon the top of the rubber cylinders, and X is a plate under them. These plates reach partially over the ends, and are bolted together by the bolts Y, which clamp them to the ring V, and hold all these parts and the rubber springs together, so that they can be removed or replaced in one piece. The top part of the pedestal Z is bored out and receives the ring V, which can be fastened in its place by set-screws. The top part of the plate W is beveled to facilitate the discharge of the sugar and prevent its lodging upon the top of the pedestal.

The operation of my improved machine is similar to those now in use, except that the valves, being situated near the outer edge of the bottom of the basket, give a much greater facility for the discharge of the drained sugar which forms a wall around the interior of the basket immediately above them. Myimproved elastic bearing also has the advantage of occupying but little space so as not to interfere with the descent of the sugar, and atthe same time possesses great elasticity.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. Two or more valves connected with the under side of the bottom of the basket of a centrifugal machine by separate pivots or bolts passing through said bottom out of its center, in combination with mechanism for operating them simultaneously from the inside of the basket, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the valve J, of a pivot, J, upon its inner side, and a flange, 1?, upon its outer side, whereby it is supported when closed, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the valve J, the quadrant K, the pinion M, the sleeve L, and the hand-wheelN, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the box S and the ring V, having curved recesses, with the cylindrical rubber springs U, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the plates W and X and the ring V with the rubber springs U, substantially as described.

TE ILE H. MULLER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SKELLEN, FRANK W. CoLwELL. 

